Foil (architecture)

This article is about architectural foils. For other types of foil, see Foil (disambiguation).

A foil is an architectural device based on a symmetrical rendering of leaf shapes, defined by overlapping circles that produce a series of cusps to make a lobe. Typically, the number of cusps can be three (trefoil), four (quatrefoil) or five (cinquefoil[1]), or can be any number (multifoil).[2] Foil motifs may be used as part of the heads and tracery of window lights, complete windows themselves, the underside of arches, in heraldry, within panelling, and as part of any decorative or ornament device. Foil types are commonly found in Gothic and Islamic architecture.

References

  1. ↑ Cinquefoil – Wiktionary
  2. ↑ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Harris, John: The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire, Penguin (1964); revised by Nicholas Antram (1989), Yale University Press, p. 726. ISBN 0300096208


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, May 12, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.